What courses should I take to prepare for law school?

Any liberal-arts major that encourages you to think, write, analyze evidence and read a lot is good preparation for law school. Law schools do not recommend any particular major. There are no required courses for admission to law school. Your grades and LSAT score are important, as are letters of recommendation and your personal statement. Law schools are looking for people who can contribute something to society. Students who just want money and power are less attractive to law schools than they used to be.

There are several courses that can prepare you for law school, but none of these are required. All law students should know something about their own government, so courses like American National Politics, Law and Society, Poverty and Community Development, and International Relations are all good background. These are political-science courses.

Constitutional Law is a course that teaches students how to read cases and how to write briefs. These skills are developed in law school, but many alumni tell us that this sort of advanced preparation was extremely valuable to them. International Law emphasizes the law of states and natural law. These courses have American National Politics as a prerequisite.

Logic, a philosophy course, is good preparation for the LSAT exam. Ethics is also good background for any student.

Business Law introduces students to the concept of contract law, torts and so forth. Media Law, in communications, is a good background to the First Amendment. There may be prerequisites to these courses.

Take courses that are demanding. Write and write and write.

In addition, internships can be very important. (See section on internships.)